IN CONVERSATION WITH: OLIVER DAY - THE WALKING ON ICE ZINE

Words By: Oliver Day, Ajay Woolery

Images By: Oliver Day

Recently we sat down with Artist Oliver Day to talk about the release of his upcoming zine Walking on Ice. Through the pages of the zine Oliver is exposing the complexity of addiction today, exploring connections between everything from the most traditional sources of addiction to social media. The project aims to assess how culture today is constantly defined by the most popular trends. Explore perspectives on addiction in the digital age, the zine features Interviews with young creatives focused on what they are addicted to. The Walking on Ice Zine will be available to order this coming Friday.

(TCK) Give us a brief rundown of the project you’re currently working on...

OD: So, this project actually started off as a graphic design project. I'm doing A-level graphic design at college in the UK. So it started out as that. And it really just started for me to, like, collect all of my artwork into one product. But sort of over the months of collecting my work, I decided to interview other creatives that I'm interested in, and feature their work.

(TCK) What are some of themes you’re exploring through this peice?

OD: So the main theme running through the whole magazine is the idea of addiction. And addiction, especially in youth culture today. I feel like a lot of people are addicted to something today, whether that's social media, or anything else. So I just really wanted to like, shed light on that topic.

Images: Spreads from the Walking on Ice Zine

(TCK) How are you visually exploring the idea of addiction through the pages of the zine?

OD: Just, different artworks, I've done, I'm not sure if you've seen my artwork, where I've got a load of tablet packets. And they're all stuck together. And there's been? And there's people queuing up. So works like that. A lot of works around social media, and like cigarette packets and stuff like that.

(TCK) You’ve mentioned social media and drugs, Are there other forms of addiction that you're exploring through the piece?

OD: At the end of every interview I've done with the different creatives featured, I've asked them, What are they addicted to? Because I feel like it's like some people have said they're addicted to coffee, or one person said he's addicted to waking up early in the morning and that euphoric feeling you get. So I found it very interesting to see what other people’s sort take on it is.

(TCK) Why do you feel a piece like this is relevant to the current culture?

OD: Like I've said earlier, I feel like everyone in the 21st century is addicted to something. I really do put that down to social media and the influence it has on the youth culture. And fast fashion. is so cheap, but you can go out and buy it. It's the same with being able to buy online as well. It's so easy and accessible. So I think Yeah, just the idea of everything being more accessible, and being able to see it on social media and with influencers wearing new clothes and stuff. I feel like people think that they need to buy certain things or fit into certain trends and fast fashions is an easy way to do that.

(TCK) When I was looking through some of the Zine’s pages there was one that stood out to me on Fashion and Fast food, could you breakdown that piece?

OD: When I was creating this zine I only knew like the basic addictions, you know, you've got your drugs, your alcohol, cigarettes. And I wanted to look deeper, into the topic of addiction. And actually, the one of the biggest addictions that everyone faces is that compulsive buying. You know, especially now, with fast fashion, everything's so cheap. It sort of sets off the same amount of dopamine, buying a new item of clothing, than smoking a cigarette, or taking drugs. So I found that really interesting. And also eating a burger from McDonald's, you know, that sort of, it's the idea of dopamine, again, it makes you happy. And it's that feeling of happiness, which creates an addiction. So it's all links together.

(TCK) How do you believe that this fits into your own artistic journey?

OD: Well, this Zine is definitely a stepping stone. And it's given me the confidence to actually work on my first proper magazine, which has definitely got more artworks in it. I've tried to keep it as organic as possible with just making, making the works for obviously, putting together a magazine, there is more thought that's got to go into it. And I do want to make more magazines, probably moving more off the topic of addiction now, because I've looked at it, but exploring new areas artistically.

(TCK) How do you believe that this fits into your own artistic journey?

OD: I feel like reading about the different addictions and looking into them more, it was really eye opening, to see how many there actually were. And that's sort of another thing I want people to take away with them. On a graphic design level, I've learned a lot about putting together a magazine because I was never really a graphic designer as such. Before, I was more of an artist, but I think it's really cool seeing all the works in a magazine.

Issue One of Walking on Ice will be available for purchase this Friday May 21st.

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5.20.21